Car-coupling



' (No Model.)

F. A. FOX.

GAR GOUPLIN'G.

No. 413,044. Patented Oct. 15, 1889.

ii 5 I W1Tm15525- INVE TER.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

FRANK AVERILL FOX, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. I

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,044, dated October 15, 1889'.

Application filed July 25, 1889- bumper and draw-bar in one piece that is,-

the bumper-head was formed on the end of the draw-bar. l Vhen anything happened to the bumper-head which rendered it unfit for use, the entire draw bar and bumper had to be thrown to one side, and the same thing was necessary if anything happened to render the draw-bar unfit for use.

One part of my present invention consists in making the draw-bar and bumper-head in two separable parts, which can be so 0011- ing-bar on the other head, all as hereinafter more fully specified and described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the two interlocking couplers, one being shown in horizontal section to exhibit its mechanism, while the other is separated from the end of the draw-bar. Fig. 2 is a side view of one coupler-head. Fig. 3 is a transverse section and back view of a coupler-head, showing the lever for raising the pin. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section showing a coupler in position to couple. Figs. 5 and 6 show a hook-headed Serial No. 313,667. (No model.)

bumper and coupler attached to my separable 5o draw-bar.

Let A represent the end of a draw-bar which projects out from underneath the car and on the end of which is usually formed the bumper-head and coupler. This draw-bar I make in a separate and distinct piece from the bumper or coupler-head B, and I connect the two parts together so that they will prac tically form a single bar, but in such a man ner that theycan be readily disconnected and taken apart when desired. This can be done in various ways, but the plan which I have adopted and shown in the drawings consists in forming two extensions 0 c which project from the end of the bar, one above and one below. The shank portion of the head B, which fits into and against this bifurcated end of the draw-bar, I provide with a. recess or chamber D on its upper and under sides, into which the extensions 0 c of the drawbar enter and fit, and I then pass a bolt 6 down through the hole a, which passes through both the extensions and the interven ing portion of the shank of the coupler-head, thus making a firm and solid union of the two parts. It is now apparent that if either of these parts should become damaged the damaged piece could be detached 7 and re placed with a perfect one, and thus save time, expense, and material. This construction is also especially adapted to the improvement in coupling devices which I employ, as will be seen from the description of its parts and their disposition and arrangement.

The coupler-head B has a hinged lockingbar E, and this locking-bar has a rectangular tail-piece F, which engages with some loeking device when the locking-bar E is forced inward. Various devices for locking this tail piece have been devised and used.

My improved locking device consists of a tumbler H, which issecured in a recess or chamber of the bumper-head in line with the tailpiece of the locking-bar when it is closed. Thebolt which passes through the hole sand 5 holds the bumper-head and draw-bar together also passes through this tumbler at or near its middle, forming a center bolt on which it can turn and swivel. The chamber in which the tumbler operates is large enough to allow it to swivel or turn from side to side a limited distance. In the front end of the tumbler is a notch g, Fig. 4, into which the end of tail piece F extends when the locking-bar E is closed, and the pressure of the tail-piece when thus entered into the notch will force the front end of the tumbler to one side and throw the side of the notch against and across its end, as shown at Fig. 1. Anotch 71' is madein the rear end of the tumbler, into which a vertically-sliding key or pin L drops when the tu 1nbler has been forced to the locking position,

thus retaining the locking-bar firmly in its coupling position. The key or pin L may be made round or flat; but I prefer to make it flat. It passes vertically through a keyway in the end of the draw-bar, and its front edge may project into the chamber in which the coupler-head moves; but I shall usually make a transverse notch in the end of the drawbar wide enough to admit the thickness of the tumbler, so that when the rear end of the tumbler swings to its locking position its extremity will enter the transverse notch, and the key will drop into and across the notch in its rear end. The rear end of the tumbler on the side of notch 70, on which the key L rides when the tumbler is in its open position, as shown at Fig. 4, is beveled toward the side of the draw-bar, so that when the tumbler is open the key will ride upon this incline and by its weight prevent the tumbler from being shifted by the jar of the car to its locking position. This keeps the tumbler in the proper position to insure the engagement of the tail-piece with the notch in the front edge of the tumbler when the locking-bar closes. It also permits the pressure of the tail-piece when the locking-bar is forced toward its closed position to drive the key up to the incline, so that it -will automatically lock the tumbler when the notch is in the proper-position. To accommodate this opera tion, I make a shoulder sin the front edge of the key, and this shoulder will ride upon the tumbler and drop into the notch while the reduced lower end of the key passes on down through the draw-bar and projects to a short distance below it. A curved lever T is pivoted to the side of the draw-bar, as shown at Fig. 3, and its lower end engages the lower end of the key, so that by drawing outward on the upper end of the lever the key is raised so as to clear the tumbler and allow the tail-piece of the locking-bar to go free, thus uncoupling the car.

The same arrangement of key and locking device can be used in connection with an arrow-head coupler, such as is used 011 passenger-cars, as shown at Figs. 5 and 6. In this case the arrow-head coupler V is provided with a shank which is fitted to the end of the draw-bar, as in the coupler herein first described, only the shank turns between the extensions c c, and a notch IV is made in this shank to receive the coupling-pin. The shank in this case serves as a tumblerand forms an integral portion of the coupler-head. By this arrangement for locking hinged couplerheads the pin and tumbler-bolt which form the two centers of resistance are brought in line with the center line of the draw-bar, where the strain is received, thus giving two points of resistance in the same line, where by other locking devices only-a single point of resistance is provided.

' lWIy locking arrangement is very simple in construction, the parts all being easily removed and replaced should any of them get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a railroad=car coupling, a drawbar having extensions projecting from its front end, in combination with a coupling-head having a shank formed with chambers adapted to receive said extensions, interlocking pivoted meansin a chamber in the coupling=head, and a pin serving both to secure said draw-bar and coupling-head together and as a pivot for one member of said interlocking means.

2. In a railroad-car coupler havingahinged locking-bar E, provided with a tail-piece F, the tumbler H, pivoted in a chamber or recess in front edge adapted to receive the end of the tail-piece F, and a notch 70 in its rear end to receive a key or pin L, substantially as specifled.

3. In a car-couplin g device, a separable coupling-head B, having a chamber in line with the tail-piece F of the locking-bar E, and a tumbler H, pivoted in said chamber or recess, the front end of which engages the rear end of the tail-piece when the locking-bar is closed, while its rear end is provided with means for locking it in position when closed, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling device, a locking-bar E, having a tail'piece F, a tumbler H, mounted on a center bolt in a recess or chamber in the bumper-head adapted to receive the end of the tail-piece and swing it into a locked position, a key or pin adapted to lock the tumbler in its locked position, and a lever adapted to raise the pin and release the tumbler and tail-piece, substantially as described.

5. In a car coupling device, a tumbler H and locking-pin L, having thecenter bolt on which the tumbler moves, and the lockingpin in line with the center line of the drawbar, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-bar provided with a chambered coupling-head having a pivoted extension formed with a tail-piece, of a tumbler in the chamber of said coupling-head having a notch in its rear end, and a key or pin adapted to engage tumbler H having one side beveled, substansaid notch, the pivot 0f the tumbler and the tially as and for the purposes described. IO keybeing located in line with the center of the In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my draw-bar, substantially as shown, and for the signature in presence of two Witnesses.

purposes set forth. FRANK AVERILL FOX.

7. In a car-coupling device having a lock- Witnesses: ing-tumbler H, and a pin L, for engaging a M. G. LOEFLER,

notch 10 in the rear end of the tumbler, the J A. VAUGHAN. 

